Added 'scale'

[Eliezer Israel]

Working toward http://placepatterns.org/prototype1/Place.html

I've added a 'scale' taxonomy to patterns, with 10 gradations of scale (multiple scales allowed.)

At this point, I feel that we're pretty close to a working implementation of the above mockup.  Still needed:

1) Loading patterns, with appropriate scale and thumbnail.  I think that we should use the original content, at this point, given that the point of this is to engage, and that the possibility of using this content is still in play.  

2) A front page that either queries the user once and shows patterns of relevant scale, or provides an AJAX (slider?) interface for adjusting scale.

I'm going to focus on number 2.  Theo, are you up for tackling number 1?

Lev

[Theo Armour]

Lev:

 

I am a believer in "release early, release often" – so felicitations on getting both placepatterns up and running.

 

For the purpose of putting things together, I do understand directly incorporating the some of the intellectual property of CA, the photographers et al.

 

But in terms of copying a whole work, some questions:

 

Wouldn't re-appropriating all 253 patterns would be going into a dangerous place – especially where the owner of the servers for the web site is reasonably well-known in the field of books and IP?

 

Were I to write a fair amount of material for placepatterns, what comfort would I have that placepatterns would never use my material I had not anticipated – when the evidence of having done so with the work of CA et is right in front of me?

 

If, as Michael reiterated in his message of today, placepatterns is to reach out to other works that identify patterns – in building and elsewhere - would placepatterns  will be welcomed by authors if placepatterns is viewed as not being respectful of licensing arrangements?

 

I can certainly upload the 253 patterns quickly and easily, but I'd like to see a bit more of a roadmap of where it's all going in terms of IP before doing so. Is that OK?

 

Theo

[Eliezer Israel]

Theo - 

Thanks for pushing back on this.  My thinking was to create an internal demo here, to get those close to the project engaged and get their wheels turning.  (I'm hoping to get Chris's wheels turning as well.)  But I think you're right - putting the whole work up there isn't a good idea. 

Tricky puzzle this.  I believe that getting engaged users is critical - people in active practice who are ready, willing, and able to provide, review, and refine content.  Without that, there's not much happening here.  How to engage them, excite them, get them energized and connecting to each other - I don't exactly know.  For me right now, it's in the realm of rain - a blessing, and something I just don't know how to make happen. 

So - enough content to get wheels turning - and likely not just CA's content.  And certainly not enough of CA's content to ruffle feathers.  So - what else goes in there as a seed? 

Just enough to suggest possibility, perhaps.  I'd like to reasonably quickly get this to a point where we can show it to the user list and the BPN list and maybe others and start to get some wider input as to what would be interesting or useful for them. 

[Theo Armour]

Hi Lev

 

>> I'm hoping to get Chris's wheels turning

 

Listening to Murray, Michael et al, this seems an unlikely prospect while he is alive, my guess is that his progeny would like this though.

 

 

>> I believe that getting engaged users is critical - people in active practice who are ready, willing, and able to provide, review, and refine content.

 

Agreed.

 

But let's double click.

 

Do 'people in active practice' want access to just to Chris or do they want to be exposed to a number of sources.

 

Newton says giants' not 'giant'.

 

Perhaps you don't need to be the rainmaker, you just need to point who are the rainmakers and where the rainmakers are today.

 

So some thoughts on a way forward:

 

You might start by concentrating on patterns that relate to city streets.

 

The use of content of a photo taken from a public city street is far freer than the use photos of within private properties.  << links could be found if necessary

 

The expression of an idea can be copyrighted but not the idea itself.

 

Thus we could take a dozen of CA's patterns and re-write them.

 

Add lots of patterns from Michael's experiments  [no re-writing necessary ;-]

 

Plus some from Ward's friends at http://www.reliableprosperity.net

[Eliezer Israel]

Yup.  We've got to get beyond CA's content.  No question about it.

I've spoken to the folks at Reliable Prosperity.  They're very open to their content being reused. 

Yodan and I have been speaking about first communities to target.  Two ideas have kept resurfacing.  They're very different angles -

1) neighborhoods -
Initial content from Reliable Prosperity, Yodan's work on Urban Neighorhoods and Boulevards, neighborhood scale content from the wider community

2) drylands / deserts
A lot of focus is being put into patterns of development in drylands these days.  There's a conference here in Beer Sheva this coming November, and that can be used as a launching pad.